A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Weekly Procrit Given to Gastric or Rectal Patients

Inclusion Criteria: * Male or female 18 years of age or older * Must have a confirmed diagnosis of gastric or rectal cancer for whom the treatment plan is preoperative chemoradiation followed by surgery * Must have a baseline hemoglobin \>/= 10 g/dl and \< 15 g/dl * Must have adequate hematologic function * Must have life expectancy of more than 6 months * Karnofsky performance status of at least 50% * Must have adequate renal function * Patients with reproductive potential must use an adequate contraceptive method during treatment and three months after completing treatment * Patients must be able to read, understand, and complete the three Quality of Life questionnaires in English. Exclusion Criteria: * Prior chemotherapy for patients with rectal cancer * Gastric cancer patients who have received more than 2 cycles of chemotherapy * Anemia due to factors other than cancer/chemotherapy * Patients with prior treatment with epoetin alfa or any investigational forms of erythropoietin within the previous 6 months * Known hypersensitivity to mammalian-cell derived products or to human albumin * Pregnant or lactating women * Untreated Central Nervous System metastases * Any significant, uncontrolled disease/dysfunction of any of the major organs * Uncontrolled hypertension or history of uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmias, pulmonary embolism, thrombosis * New onset or poorly controlled seizures * History of active second malignancy * Major infection requiring hospitalization and antibiotics or surgery within 14 days of study entry * Blood transfusion within 1 month of study entry * Androgen therapy within 2 months of study entry